Cherish is my favorite word, and I cherish the ability of turning the routine into a beautiful moment. Nature creates in me, a spiritual and meditative time to bring peace, harmony and balance, into an otherwise ordinary day~ Mary Howell Cromer

Monday, January 4, 2016

A Visit to Another Time for the New Year~

Ha ha below was my original photo of this Red Fox Squirrel and it was just perfect for what I did using Pic Monkey next to it.

Then a more sincere greeting came to me to share on Facebook and now with you as well above~

When I first began my blog 6 years ago this past June 24, I did not totally understand the concept of blogging,and I would post many photos a day, but I would only put one photograph into each post. Oh My Goodness, I have learned!!! Of course I also never got any views, or comments back then. I was just sort of in a practice mode, desiring more, but waiting on learning how it all worked. Recently I decided to redo some of those original posts since they were actually never shared.

This post is from those original first posts all done then on June 24, 2009.

I have now deleted each of the original posts now.

The landscapes shared in this post are from a walk taken in 29' weather this morning early, as Bible study was canceled until next week, due to the holiday and many of our ladies unable to attend.

In Appreciation

I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to my ever so kind neighbors and friends. Without their generous hearts, there would be no Red Shouldered Hawks of Tingsgrove Blog, nor any photographs for this Blog. Their gracious spirits, their kindness has been such a blessing to me. They have allowed me access to their land, allowed me to wrap their trees for a 3 month period, and all of this with great enthusiasm and encouragement for my efforts. It has been my pleasure to get to know my neighbors better through this endeavor as well~

Special thanks to the following, just to name a few...Sue, Jeff and Linda, John and Cathy, Tony and Suzanne, Dave and Sandy, David and Judy, Grant and Mona, Don and Bambi, Steve, Jack and Barbara, DeAnn, Robin and Wilma, Alethia and Lee, and I know I am missing some, I appreciate your gift of kindness so very much.

I cannot go without thanking two very special people as well, Chuck and Michele with Wingspan of Kentucky, for their time, great efforts and care for the Birds of Prey and beyond~

Red Shouldered Hawks were listed as threatened, or endangered in several US states. Even more reason to help their numbers increase~ Size, length~ 16.9 to 24 inches~ Wingspan~ 37 to 43.7 inches~Weight~ 17.1 to 27.3 ounces

Above is the female of the pair and below the male. I am pretty certain that since this original posting, they dynamics of this pair has changed a lot, for sure~

Remember to double click on the first image, to view a larger slideshow presentation after you have read the narratives~

Hard to believe this young one was covered in heavy down just two weeks ago. I was observing the nest site when the adult hen lunged for a Gray Squirrel checking out the nest and in so doing the hen accidentally knocked most of the nest to the ground, as well as this male chick. I gathered him into my arms and along with my neighbor Judy, we got him into a basket and he was there for just two weeks before leaving it.

The basket chick decided to leave the protection of it's man-made nest on a rainy day~

When the nest fell to the ground, it left the female chick all alone up there and it was quite sad to watch, but she did fine. I watched a few times the adult hen bringing small leaf branches to her, but they too would just fall to the ground. The nest eyas taking a brief nap. Still looks pitiful having no nesting materials left for a little comfort~

The young basket chick now out and about was being mobbed by Blue Jays and the adult male came to his rescue~

The nest chick seems ready to fledge on day 3 following the basket chick leaving first, but seems content to stay put a bit longer in nest tree. She was trying out her hunting and mantling skills. The patterns on the 2 young hawks is distinguishable enough, as well as the nest chick seems to have more leg feathering and is larger than basket chick~

Yeah the nest chick took her first brief, perfect flight, just across the yard. The young basket chick is further away, in an area that is thick with brush, so I cannot get good view of him~

The adult hen has left a meal up high for the young chick, all that has to take place now, figure out how to get there...

OK, first a little hawk trot, feeling the hang of it a day at a time...

One giant leap and it should be all good to go, for a meal awaits...

One of my FAVORITE photographs of this season~ She finally was able to make it up with a huge bounding leap and using her massive wings to help reach the meal that awaited her~

Male basket chick preening himself~

The nest chick is looking quite regal~

Chick had just received a meal and while in flight to get to a perch to eat it, the meal was accidentally dropped. The young chick landed almost at my feet to look for it, yet never found it. This happens in the beginning, but they learn to hold on tight very soon~

Loving life, just hanging out, got to enjoy it while it lasts, for things are about to change really fast for this young one. Little did I know that this evening, my neighbors would ring me up and share with me, that one of the young hawks was hunting in the yard across the lane from their home. I try not to allow the hawks to see me now, as I do not want to disrupt their hunting skills, or cause them to miss a meal because of my intrusion. It is a very careful balance with nature~

The young chicks count on meals being brought to them for several more weeks, but also begin to learn the art of hunting for prey.

I shall miss looking into my camera lens, almost like a quiet understanding of knowing!

The nest chick was in a hurry to get meal before the little male grabbed it. A few meals get lost as the chicks learn how to grab it mid air the talons of the adults. If you are fortunate enough to see this, you can also sometimes hear the clicking of their talons as they transfer the meal.

Only thirteen days off of the nest, and they are flying in perfect form, not soaring yet, that will be awhile yet and the first time they are up high yelling, is for me magical!

I absolutely love it, LOVE IT!

Their give-away is always going to be when they yell for a meal. This young one began yelling early afternoon, and kept it up until early evening. This is always hard to hear, however it is a must. The adults will not let their young starve, but they will make it to where the young ones are forced to hunt and ultimately fend for themselves. The young chicks are 11 weeks old now and the adults will help them for a bit longer~

The young nest chick glides through the trees with such ease now, so beautiful~

If anyone missed the post from last week, I posted my 55 favorite shares for 2015. I would love for you to see them if you can~

So gratifying for you to follow these chicks as they grow up and then share your photos with us Mary. Tough mother love even in the bird kingdom so they learn to be self sufficient. I hope you are off to a good start this year!

That was great that you experienced such a close relationship with the young hawks. To some eyes they probably looked the same but you readily saw their subtle differences. Will check out your other photos now.

You've sure brought a lot of joy to my husband and I over the years. We've looked at your bird photos and marveled at the close ups and the details of the different poses you show. We love birds and know how hard it is to get good photos. Happy New year sweet friend. Hugs, Diane

Hi Mary. I just hope you enjoyed the New Year celebrations as much as I did but now it's time to catch up. I guess the hawk's learning was much like learning to blog? A bit hit and miss, a little exploration, a spot of learning from others until finally it becomes a "piece of cake". I think you have well and truly fledged, even after 6 years!

Fantastic photos of the nestlings! I know how thrilling it was for me to have those three in my back yard over a period of about three weeks, and to have them unconcerned by my presence (such incredible photo opportunities!) so to see them nest and fledge like this must be absolute heaven!

It is so wonderful to watch the hawks' journey through your eye and camera lens. Just amazing photos Mary. I'm glad I scrolled back. I missed a lot of good blogging lately because of our annual migration and then computer problems after we got here. It's a good idea to go back and show some of those old pics again, I might steal that idea sometime if you don't mind. I'm sure we all started out blogging without an audience ;))).

Your passion for these beautiful creatures shone brightly then, with the debut of Tingsgrove, just as it does today. How absolutely spectacular that wing span is, a harmonious accordion of feathery brilliance!

I love and enjoy each visitor to "Red Shouldered Hawks of Tingsgrove and Beyond." I truly appreciate those who have become followers to my blog and really am encouraged by the wonderful comments. I also enjoy leaving comments and would like to ask that you please make your blog word verification free! You still have top security settings and you still have control over the comments published. It would make it so much easier, if you would consider doing this. I switched several months ago and am thrilled with the results~

Canticle Of The Sun

~ My Heart Song ~

My desire is to share the very essence of nature through photography which awakens and refreshes me, in that I breathe more deeply, take heart in the stillness it brings, and cherish the fleeting moments in this delicate balance of the rhythmic poetry and whispers of life and always thirst for more. From 9 years of age, I have enjoyed wildlife and nature. That is when my awareness of it's beauty and mystery began to form.

Back in the late 1970's my husband and I became interested in Raptors. We obtained a Federal Permit to Rehab and Release Birds of Prey. We also worked with the Louisville Zoo Administrator Dr. William Foster on this program. I later joined Kentucky Wildlife Line and was covered by a blanket permit, to rehab and release small mammals, for another 8 years. In 1996, I first took notice of a beautiful pair of Red-Shouldered hawks that had nested on our 2 acres, and that was a gift, that just keeps on giving.

One day I was on Google wondering if anyone else out there loved Red-Shouldered Hawks, like I do. I came across a single site...one done by Vickie Henderson. I had never heard of a blog, but she introduced me and encouraged me to begin my own. That was in June of 2009. My blog "Red-Shouldered Hawks of Tingsgrove and Beyond", is just one way to share the images from my world.

Normandy Life

Mosaic Monday

Saturday's Critters

Wild Bird Wednesday

Visitors

Having loved horses my entire life, I began creating these Equestrians in the late 1990's, prior to the now famed Gallopalooza horses which later came on the scene. Tingsgrove Equestrians are made using layers of upholstery fabrics that I blend together and then apply to molded forms. Many of these have been sold around the country and shipped as far as Europe~

Nature and photography go hand in hand in my life. My husband has done many nature watercolurs in the past, though, retired from painting these days. It seemed only natural to share one of my favorites on my nature blog~Two Hummingbirds~